Although at a much "smaller" scale, Raspberry Pi did to mini computers what iPad did to tablets (wake up a nearly dead product segment), and now a section of the market likes computers to be as small and potent as the ARM-driven Raspberry Pi. Although at a different end of the price and performance spectrum from the Raspberry Pi, Intel has reason to believe its NUC mini computer could achieve market success. NUC (Next Unit of Computing) is a mini box computer for the retail channel, which is roughly the size of a modern wireless router, but as powerful as a mainstream laptop.

The NUC owes its computing power to Intel Core i3/i5 "Sandy Bridge" dual-core processors (probably in the BGA-1023 package), with Intel HD 3000 graphics, and dual-channel DDR3 memory (SO-DIMMs). The logic board measures 100 x 100 mm, and has all the essential connectivity crammed into it, including umm...10 Gb/s Thunderbolt, USB 3.0, 802.11 b/g/n, and HDMI with multi-channel HD audio. This board is smaller than VIA's NANO-ITX (120 x 120 mm) form-factor. The rest of the ABS plastic enclosure's volume is spent housing the cooling assembly. Informed sources predict that while the NUC won't be priced in the hundereds or thousands of Dollars, it most certainly won't be priced at $25. A starting price of $100 seems realistic.

31 Commentson Intel Unveils NUC Mini Computer

Do want- an Ivy Bridge version. An HD4000 would make for a potent HTPC and console emulator machine barely larger than a pack of cigarettes. Throw two 256GB mPCIe SSDs on and you've got enough space for a DVR.

This sound good, but no enough to replace it for a full featured PC, Thunderbolt it's not adopted massively so i see you getting problems with conectivity, but if it have more than 3 USB ports would be nice.

This is cool. I think $150-$200 is more realistic. I would certainly get one for $150. Just needs a usb splitter. One of those 12 way splitters would do.
I don't know about storage... Seems like I would want a lot for my plans.

price will be around price of laptops (minimal model), up to price of mac mini (with ssd and other features)
this is crazy that you put price in this article, what you have to do - ask intel rep about it and post quote (even if they do not answer it directly), end of story

In the hundreds is realistic... $100 is not. If its got laptop level hardware and the latest peripherals, it's going to be aimed at similar prices, probably as much as a current nettop for just the integrated motherboard. Then to suit the form factor you'd probably be adding a SSD - $100 probably won't be seen for years. As a low price for just the board, even with some cut down options, I wouldn't expect much under $200.

Heck, even VIA's larger and less powerful boards with older peripherals can be $100.

If XBMC and Intel can work out their differences and get proper support for the SB based Intel HD graphics, then this is it really, what else do you need for an HTPC? I would like to see one of these equipped with even a lower end single core (with HT) or dual core that could be passively cooled (at least at idle) and with a low RPM fan at full load. Even if that means a slightly larger case. But I'm impressed with this, and even if it means $500 for the final price tag of a complete build, I'd have one.

As an HTPC it would be brilliant, as a pc for my guest room it would be even better, or as a system I can bring with me on trips, or keep by as a loaner for friends and family members who may need a PC when theirs is being rebuilt/repaired I can't really imagine anything better.

Well done Intel, get this to market soon. Don't just show this off as something you could do, make it happen! :toast: